Jaye Toole, who is the Training Coordinator of Macarthur Disability Services was interviewed by Miguel Ferrero - convener of the Training Directions Network. This is a summary of the conversation.
Q. What has been your career path to your current job?
A long and complicated yet interesting one! I was involved in various community work based around being a ‘stay at home’ mum with three children i.e. playgroup and school canteens and various positions on the committees. I then recommenced paid work with Lifeline as a warehouse manager and developed training programs for the staff regarding safety and other hazard and risk management issues. I moved to the Red Cross and was there for a few years and then moved to a registered training organisation as an adult facilitator of competency based aged care and disability work.
This role also included managing other trainers, developing materials and more. I then went back fulltime training on a special dementia education project for 15 months and have been in my current position as Training Coordinator since October 2007. During this time I have studied and received a number of competency based vocational and training qualifications. I also have a Bachelor of Health, Ageing and Community Services and am currently studying for a Masters in Education (VET) which is a major in the vocational education and training.
Q. What in your opinion are the key workforce issues faced by the community sector?
I don’t believe education is taken seriously enough or seen as professional development. This lack of support for people who are interested in receiving training leads them to self fund and then move on. Research indicates if you fund training for staff they are more likely to remain with your organisation. I think it’s important for workers to understand about the sector, not just from the hands on perspective, but theoretically and historically. I also strongly believe that offering training could be used as an attractant for recruitment.
Q. What strategies the sector could develop to address these issues?
Having conversations with training providers and apprenticeship/traineeship canters. This would clarify and get rid of all the myths and rumours regarding training. Training can be offered effectively and reasonably priced in a number of ways.
Q. What is your advice to the Community Sector that could be helpful to face these issues?
Recognise, reward and value training as a way of developing your staff and up-skilling them to be prepared for the future. It is a successful way of looking at succession planning, especially as the community sector has many, small and autonomous projects where one person is working or small teams are working. Training and development are ideal ways of managing when staff leave and removes having vacant positions during recruitment and can support a path of strong internal promotions.
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